Expert: Dr. Man Tran, Ph.D., D.C., L.Ac. - 2/1/2008

Question
I have had this problem since my senior year in high school.  The only trauma to my spine I have ever had was actually not long before I started noticing my ribs hurting.  I put a crack through my sacrum and coccyx from a snowboarding incident and possibly hurt my upper back in the process though no other spinal injury was found.  I am 21 years old and have had chronic subluxated ribs since then.  I hurt ALL the time. The pain never subsides.  My Dr. is  a DO and he has aligned my back every time I feel the pain worsening.  I receive instant relief but it seems that after a day or two the problem comes right back, sometimes in the same spot but usually in a different one.  If I pull my arm across my chest in a certain direction I can feel a pull.  When I take a deep breath I feel the pain localized at the head of my tenth rib down on my left side and then at the head of either the 4th 5th or 6th rib down on that same side.  Basically, I know I have to get adjustments in order to remedy the problem BUT it seems I have to get them 1-2 times a week.  This is a VERY expensive and time consuming problem.  Is there a permanent solution?

Answer
Dear Allison,

Maybe perhaps the muscles around the rib areas need to be work on as well.  There may be scar tissues or trigger points (knots in the muscles from being very tense).  Have those muscles work out along with the rib adjustment to see if you have lasting relief.